Adjustable peep sight for firearms



AtiM-AUH 33-2580 OR 2964F69625 SR July 28, 1953 E. T. LAKE ET AL 2,646,625

' ADJUSTABLE PEEP SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Filed Feb. 16,1951

379 is: via

22 5 27 Inventors A Harm'y Patented July 28, 1953 ADJUSTABLE PEEP SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Ernest T. Lake and Robert R. Hardgrove, Livingston, Mont.

Application February 16, 1951, Serial No. 211,282

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable and demountable peep sight for firearms such as rifles and more particularly is intended to pro;- vide a readily demountable peep sight for use with a conventional front sight of a rifle which is conventionally aimed by a telescope sight, where for any reason it is desired not to use the telescope sight. In view of the extensive use now being made of telescope sights for aiming rifles the conventional rear sight is frequently removed or'omitted; however, it is sometimes desirable to aim and fire the rifle without the telescope sight and it is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a demountable peep sight capable of being quickly applied to or removed from a rifle for use with a conventional front sight and which may be demountably attached to a telescope sight supporting element or directly to the rifle receiver.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a peep sight of extremely simple construction capable of being readily adjusted accurately for both elevation and windage.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparentv from the following description of the drawing, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a portion of a rifle showing the invention applied thereto;

.Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1;

:Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view showing the peep sight detached;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the adjustable peep sight taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figures 6 and? are top plan views of two slightly modified forms of the invention;

,Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 of another modification;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the peep sight mounted directly on the rifle receiver, and a Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the adjustablepeep sight block.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the adjustable peep sight in its preferred form as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, 9 and I0 is designated generally l2 and includes a relatively thick base plate, designated generally l3 ha ving substantially fiat opposite sides l4 and I5, and a peep sight block, designated generally [6 or Ilia.

The base plate I3 is provided with two longitudinally spaced longitudinally elongated aligned slots I! which are disposed adjacent and preferably parallel to its bottom edge l8. The width of each slot I1 is greater adjacent the face I4 than the face l5, as best seen in Figure 4, so that the widest portion l9 of the slots I! can accommodate the heads of screws 20.

In Figure 1 the screws are shown extendin through the slots l1 and being threaded into the rear end of an adaptor block 2| which is suitably secured to the top of a rifle receiver 22. The adaptor block 2| may be normally employed as a part of a telescope sight mount, as illustrated in U. S. Patent #2526316 and said block 2| is modified only in that its rear end is tapped for threadedly receiving the screws 20 to demountably support the base plate I3 with its side 15 against the rear end of the block 2| and with the upper portion of said base plate rising above the upper surface of the block 2|. Similarly, the base plate l3 may be mounted against the rear end of the receiver 22 as illustrated in Figure 9 by the screws 20 engaging in tapped rearwardly opening recesses of said receiver.

The upper portion of the base plate l3 which is preferably restricted in length is provided with a relatively large upwardly opening notch 23 the sides and bottom edges of which are provided with grooves 24 of arcuate cross section, as seen in Figure 5. The face I4 of the plate [3 is provided with a recess 25 which extends part way through the thickness of the plate and which opens into one side of the notch 23 intermediate of its top and bottom. The plate I3 is provided with a threaded bore 26, one end of which opens into the recess 25 and the opposite end of which opens through the side l5. A screw, designated generally 21, has a restricted threaded shank 28 threadedly engaging the threaded bore 26 and is provided with a frusto-conical wedge portion 29 disposed between the threaded end 28 and its kerfed head 30. As seen in Figure 5, the kerfed head 30 projects from the side l4 and the wedge portion 29, which tapers away from the head 30, extends into the recess 25.

The block I6 is sized to fit snugly in the notch 23 and the edges thereof are outwardly rounded in cross section, as seen at 3| for snug fitting engagement in the grooves 24. The block I6 is provided with a centrally disposed peep opening 32 which is flared toward each side of said block so that the central portion of the opening is of smaller diameter than the ends to prevent direct light rays shining upon the restricted central portion of the peep sight opening 32 and which constitutes the portion of the opening employed for sighting the rifle. The rearwardly facing side of the block I6 in horizontal alignment with the axis of the opening 32 is provided with an arrowhead or pointer 33 for use with elevation graduations 34, as seen in Figure 2, which are provided on the rear face I4 of the plate I3 along the left-hand edge of the notch 23.

Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that the block I6 may be adjusted vertically in the notch 23 to position the peep sight opening 32 at any desired level or elevation relatively to the base I3. After the desired adjustment for elevation has thus been made the fastening 21 is turned in a direction to move the wedge portion 29 inwardly of the recess 25 and into wedging engagement with a portion of one edge of the block I6 for clamping the block in the desired adjusted position in the notch 23. By loosening the screws 20 the base plate I3, with the block I6 fixed thereto, may be adjusted transversely of the axis of the barrel and receiver and thereafter be clamped in a selected adjusted position by tightening the screws 20 to accomplish any desired windage adjustment.

The block I 6a as illustrated in Figures 3, and 10 differs from the block I6 in that the peep sight opening 32a, which is of the same construction as the peep sight opening 32, is offset from the center of the block a distance radially as indicated by the arrow designated R and is likewise offset a distance from the horizontal center of the block as indicated by the space between the arrowheads designated A. The peep sight opening 32a is also offset a distance from the vertical center line of the block I6a as indicated by the arrow tipped ends of the line B. As the description proceeds it will be readily apparent that this offsetting of the peep sight opening 32a as indicated by R, A and B may be varied. Further, each side of the block IBa is provided with four pointers 33a at each end of the horizontal and vertical lines thereof, each corresponding to the pointer 33, each of which is intended to be used with the graduations 34, as will hereinafter become apparent. By removing the block I6a from the notch 23 and turning it clockwise or counterclockwise through an arc of 90 and then replacing the block in the notch 23, the peep sight opening 32a will be thereby moved either 90 clockwise or counterclockwise, respectively, from its position of Figure 3, so that by removing and replacing the block I6a the peep sight opening 32a may be positioned in four different locations relatively to the notch 23 and when the bottom of the block I'Ga is engaging the bottom of said notch 23. Likewise, by removing the block I6a and turning it over so that its opposite sides will be facing in the opposite direction and then replacing the block in the notch 23, the opening 32a will be displaced upwardly to its dotted line position of Figure 3 if no rotation of the block IIia occurs and said block may then be rotated, as previously described, to position the opening 32a in four different positions, one of which will be 180 from its dotted line position of Figure 3 and the other two of which will each be 90 from said dotted line position. Thus, both windage and elevation adjustments may be made by moving the block I6a relatively to the base plate I3 without adjustment of the base plate. It will be readily apparent that the peep sight I2 may be provided with any number of blocks including a block I6, a block I60. and other peep sight blocks having the peep sight opening spaced other radial distances with respect to the center of the block and the horizontal and vertical center lines thereof.

Figure 6 illustrates a slightly modified form of the adjustable peep sight, designated generally I2b' and which differs from the peep sight I2 in that the notch 23b is provided with a groove 24b of truncated shaped cross section and the block I 6b, which may correspond either with the block I6 or I6a has edges 3Ib of the same cross sectional shape to snugly engage the grooves 24b.

Another modification of the peep sight, designated generally I2c is shown in Figure 7 and which differs from the peep sight I2b in that the grooves 240 of the notch 230 are V-shaped in cross section and the edges 3| 0 of the block IBc are beveled to snugly engage said grooves.

Another modification of the peep sight, designated generally I2d is illustrated in Figure 8 and wherein the notch 23d is provided with side edges and a bottom edge having an outwardly offset or stepped portion 35 adjacent the face I4d of the base plate I3d. In lieu of the deep recess 25, the plate I3d is provided with two shallow depressions 25d in its face Md which open into the upright stepped groove portions 35. The plate I3d is provided with two threaded bores 2601 which extend substantially therethrough and which have complementary ends opening outwardly of the face I5d and opposite ends opening into the depressions 2501. A conventional headed screw 36 has a threaded shank engaging each bore 26d and the heads of the screws 36 are sized to be partially accommodated in the depressions 25d. The peep sight block I6d differs from the peep sight blocks I6, I611, I61) and I60 in that each edge thereof is stepped or offset, as seen at 3Id to fit the stepped edges 35 of the notch 23d. By tightenin the screws 36 the heads thereof are advanced to contact portions of the block I6d for clamping it in the notch 23d. The block I6d may be rotated, when removed from the notch 23d so that it may be disposed in said notch in four different positions of the peep sight opening, if said opening is offset relatively to the center of the block, but unlike the blocks I6a, I 6b and I6c, the block I 6d may not be turned to reverse the positions of the opposite sides or faces thereof.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. An adjustable peep sight for firearms comprising a plate-like supporting member adapted to be mounted in an upright position above and transversely of a firearm, said plate-like supporting member having an upper portion provided with an upwardly opening notch defined by parallel inwardly facing side edges and a bottom edge disposed at a right angle to each of said s1de edges, a square peep sight block sized to fit snugly into said notch and provided with a peep sight opening extending through the blocking from side to side thereof, the opening of said peep sight block being offset from the center of the block toward two edges thereof whereby different edges of the block may be disposed in engagement with the side edges and bottom edge of the notch for varying the position of the peep sight opening relatively to the center of the notch.

2. An adjustable peep sight for firearms comprising a plate-like supporting member adapted to be mounted in an upright position above and transversely of a firearm, said plate-like supporting member having an upper portion provided with an upwardly opening notch defined by parallel inwardly facing side edges and a bottom edge disposed at a right angle to each of said side edges, a square peep sight block sized to fit snugly into said notch and provided with a peep sight opening extending through the block from side to side thereof, the opening of said peep sight block being offset from the center of the block toward two edges thereof and being spaced difierent distances from said two edges whereby different edges of the block may be disposed in engagement with the side edges and bottom edge of the notch for varying the position of the peep sight opening relatively to the center of the notch, said block being reversible for reversing the position of the opposite faces thereof relatively to the opposite sides of the plate-like supporting member whereby the peep sight opening is additionally displaced to other positions with respect to the center of the notch.

3. An adjustable peep sight as in claim 1, the side and bottom edges defining said notch each being grooved in cross section, and the edges of said peep sight block each being of a cross sectional shape to fit snugly in the grooved edges of the notch to retain the block against displacement toward either side of the platelike supporting member whereby different edges of the block may be disposed in engagement with the side edges and bottom edge of the notch for varying the position of the peep sight opening relatively to the center of the notch.

ERNEST T. LAKE. ROBERT R. HARDGROVE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,090 Freund Nov. 28, 1882 496,051 Freund Apr. 25, 1893 607,344 Cooper July 12, 1898 846,217 King Mar. 5, 1907 894,755 Snedden July 28, 1908 943,872 Gordon Dec. 21, 1909 1,003,933 McCleary Sept. 19, 1911 2,456,214 Poe Dec. 14, 1948 2,473,891 Lillard June 21, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 94,036 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1922 

